Biomaterial Database

Anesthesia and analgesia for labor. 1992

A P Harris, and R U Michitsch

Department of Anesthesiology/Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287.

Epidural analgesia remains the mainstay for providing pain relief during labor. The search continues to find the ideal combination of analgesic agents and administration techniques that will provide excellent pain relief for the mother yet minimize side effects to the mother and fetus. This article reviews recent studies of epidural analgesia, including the increased use of epidural opioids, patient-controlled epidural analgesia, and the complications of epidural analgesia (including effects on gastric emptying, maternal temperature control, and hemodynamic changes to the mother and fetus). Intrathecal (spinal) analgesia, especially using opioids, is also discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000767	Anesthesia, Epidural	Procedure in which an anesthetic is injected into the epidural space.	Anesthesia, Extradural,Anesthesia, Peridural,Epidural Anesthesia,Anesthesias, Epidural,Anesthesias, Extradural,Anesthesias, Peridural,Epidural Anesthesias,Extradural Anesthesia,Extradural Anesthesias,Peridural Anesthesia,Peridural Anesthesias
D000773	Anesthesia, Obstetrical	A variety of anesthetic methods such as EPIDURAL ANESTHESIA used to control the pain of childbirth.	Anesthesia, Gynecological,Anesthesia, Obstetric,Gynecologic Anesthesia,Paracervical Block,Anesthesia, Gynecologic,Block, Paracervical,Blocks, Paracervical,Gynecological Anesthesia,Obstetric Anesthesia,Obstetrical Anesthesia,Paracervical Blocks
D000775	Anesthesia, Spinal	Procedure in which an anesthetic is injected directly into the spinal cord.	Anesthesias, Spinal,Spinal Anesthesia,Spinal Anesthesias
D015360	Analgesia, Epidural	The relief of pain without loss of consciousness through the introduction of an analgesic agent into the epidural space of the vertebral canal. It is differentiated from ANESTHESIA, EPIDURAL which refers to the state of insensitivity to sensation.	Epidural Analgesia
D016058	Analgesia, Patient-Controlled	Relief of PAIN, without loss of CONSCIOUSNESS, through ANALGESIC AGENTS administered by the patients. It has been used successfully to control POSTOPERATIVE PAIN, during OBSTETRIC LABOR, after BURNS, and in TERMINAL CARE. The choice of agent, dose, and lockout interval greatly influence effectiveness. The potential for overdose can be minimized by combining small bolus doses with a mandatory interval between successive doses (lockout interval).	Patient-Controlled Analgesia,Analgesia, Patient Controlled,Patient Controlled Analgesia
D016362	Analgesia, Obstetrical	The elimination of PAIN, without the loss of CONSCIOUSNESS, during OBSTETRIC LABOR; OBSTETRIC DELIVERY; or the POSTPARTUM PERIOD, usually through the administration of ANALGESICS.	Obstetrical Analgesia,Analgesia, Obstetric,Obstetric Analgesia